Cooling and serving system



April 16, 1957 c. E. TUNT COOLING AND SERVING SYSTEM Filed April 2, 1956 CONDENSER INVENTOR GTE Tun Z ATTORNEY 5' United States The present invention relates to refrigerator systems, and more particularly, to refrigerator or cooling systems for beverages. This invention is an improvement on my prior Patent No. 2,728,207, issued. December 27, 1955, and entitled Cooling and Serving System.

The primary object of this invention is to provide in an effective and inexpensive system for conveying cool beverages from a supply source to a dispensing point, means to prevent direct contact between the beverage carrying tubings and the evaporator tubings.

A further object of the invention is to provide tube spacing means for the tubes of a refrigeration system. of the type described above which will be inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, and completely effective in their operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the improved cooling and dispensing system.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the numerals and 12 designate beverage containers which are shown as seated in the collar or basement below the floor 14, above which the dispensing faucets 16 and 18 are located. The beverages contained. in the containers 10 and 12, many may be of alcoholic or carbonic gas content, that is, effervescent beverages. Two containers 10 and 12, respectively, are shown for example only, since there may be any number of beverages dispensed and cooled during such dispensing by my cooling system which is flexible for such. purpose.

As shown in the drawings pipes 19 and 20 are connect'ed to the tops of the containers 10 and 12 and are in fluid communication with the interior of the containers for supplying carbonic gas or filtered air under pressure to the containers for dispensing the beverages therefrom. The pipes 19 and 20 are connected to pumps (not shown) and the carbonic gas or air under pressure supplied by the? pumps to the containers 10 and 12 through the pipes 19 and 20 is controlled and regulated by regulators 22 and 24 provided in the pipes.

Disposed vertically through the floor 14 and extending. from a point below the floor 14 to a point thereabove, is. a plastic tube 26 which has a lower head 28, diametrically larger than the tube 26 and is closed. A flexible conduit 319' connects the side 32 of the head 28 to the container 12, with a portion 34 of the conduit depending into the container 12. The conduit 30 establishes fluid communi cation between the container 12 and the tube 26 so that sen o 2,788,649 Patented Apr. 16, 1957 the beverage in the container 12 is forced under pressure through. the-conduit 30 into the tube 26. A flexible conduit 36- has-one end 38 extending into the container 10 and its. other end connected to the horizontal section 40 of the pipe 42- that is disposed concentrically within the tube 26. The horizontal section 40 of the pipe projects through a suitable fluid. tight opening formed in the wall 32 of the lower head 28. The tube 26 is formed atits upper end with a lateral extension 44 that terminates in an enlarged upper head 46. The head 46 is formed with an inner wall 48 thatv is provided with. an opening 50 to. establish fluid communication between the tube 26 and the interior. of. the head 46.

The head 46 has an outer wall 52 and a frustoconical battle 54 is afiixedat its major end to the wall and projects laterally thereof interiorly of the head.

The bafile 54 hasa cylindrical forwardly projecting extension 56 formed on its minor end which extension extends. through the. inner wall 48 of the head 46. An evaporator tube 58,. which may be formed from stainless steel,. extends through the walls. 52. and 48 and. is disposed within the baflie and the extension 56 thereof, which is concentric to the tube. An. expansion valve 59- is providedin the tube 58, externally of the head 4-6 and the tube 58 extends down intothe tubing 26 concentric thereto and parallel with. thepipe 42. The tube 58 extends through the bottom. 60' of the lower head 28 and. is connected to a. drier coil 62, from which an outlet pipe 64 extends. The refrigerant. gas flows through the tube. 58 in. a counter-flow direction to the beverages flowing upwardly in the tubing 26 and in the pipe 42 to the dispensing nozzles or faucets 16 and 18, that are mounted on the upper wall of the head 46.

An electrical controlv 66 is provided to maintain the temperature of the beverages from the container 12, that. is the beverage flowing in the tubing 26, at the desired temperature. The beverage in. the tubing 26, from the container 12, controls the. temperature of the beverage in the pipe 42. The control 66 is. of conventional type and is actuated. by a control bulb 68 that is housed in a housing 70 inset from the wall 48 and disposed within the head. 46. The control bulb 68 may be of the thermal contact type or other conventional type. Electrical leads 72 and 74 extend from the control 66, which controls the running time of the condenser unit 75 that provides the refrigeration of the system.

It can be seen that the baflle 54 and its extension 56 serves to reflect the refrigerant temperature from the evaporator tube 58 at the upper head 46 and causes the refrigerant to function at closer superheat than actually exists, thus preventing freezing at the upper head 46 and maintaining narrower temperature differential throughout the system. Since the tube 58 is enclosed within the baffle 54 and its extension 56, the latter also serve to insulate the tube through an area where the lowest temperature exists.

It is understood, of course, that the superheat of an evaporator is the temperature differential between the refrigerant inlet and outlet, and the provision of the insulating baffle tends" to reduce the degree of variation.

A plurality of fiat disc-like plastic spacers 30 having axial bores 82 extending therethrough are threaded onto the evaporator tube 58 as particularly illustrated in Fig ure 1, in spaced parallel relation. Solder heads 84 are position-ed on thetube 53 above and below each of the spacers :0 maintain the spacer 81) in fixed relation on the tube 58.

Thetspacers 80 act toprevent the evaporator tube 58 from, contacting any of the beverage carrying tubes 42 and. any other additional beverage carrying tubes (not shown) which. may be contained within the tube 26.

The elimination of direct contact between the beverage carrying tubes 42 and the evaporator tube 58 eliminates direct contact heat transfer therebetween thus eliminating the possibility of freezing the beverages in the tube 42. The spacers 8% are in direct heat transfer relation to theevaporator tube 58 and have the effect by their thermal contact therewith of increasing the heat exchange area of the evaporator tube 58. Obviously, the efiiciency of the evaporator tube 58 is greatly enhanced thereby.

In use, the refrigerant flows through the tube 58 and is expanded by the expansion valve 59 as it flows into the head 46 and down the tube 58 to the drier coil 62 and on to condensing unit 75. The gas flows in a counterflow direction than the beverages from the containers 10 and 12. The beverages from the containers are forced under pressure into the lower head'28. The beverage from the container 12 fills the tube 26 and flows through the tube and through the opening 50 in the wall 43 of the upper head to the dispensing faucet 18. The beverage from the container 10 flows through the pipe 42 to the dispensing faucet 16, that is connected to the pipe at the upper head 4:6.

It can be thus seen that the beverage from the container 12 is cooled during the flow through the tube 26, by flowing around the evaporator tube 58 and that this beverage cools the beverage in the pipe 42.

While only one pipe 42 has been illustrated, it is obvious that other pipes may be provided in the tube 26 connecting various supply containers to faucets on the upper head 46 and that the beverages in such pipes would be cooled by the beverage from the container 12 in a manner similar to the cooling of the beverage from the container 1t). Thus, the beverage in pipe 42 and beverages in similar pipes are bathed directly by the beverage from the container 12 passing through the tube 26 and being cooled by convection from the evaporatortube 58.

The lower head 28 of the tubing 26, drier coil 62, containers 10 and 12 and their associated tubes and pipes are housed in a housing 76, that is provided in the basement or cellar below the floor 14. A drier coil 78 is installed in the drier 62 to maintain a holding temperature within the housing 76. The drier coil 78 comprises a part of the evaporator in which the liquid refrigerant is expanded to vapor, and in so doing absorbs heat from the wall of the coil. in the present system, the drier coil 78 takes advantage of a spill-over of the refrigerant from the main part of the evaporator and is connected in series therewith. The drier coil 78 may be of the forced air or gravity type.

Adjustment of the drier coil 78 is achieved by manual manipulation of the expansion valve 59 to balance the system at desired operating temperatures and to maintain the desired temperature. The adjustment of the expansion valve 59 controls the amount of refrigerant whereby the refrigerant Wets as much of the drier coil 78 as is necessary to maintain the holding temperature.

While the system has been illustrated as a basement installation, the system is equally well adaptable for use in an establishment where no basement space is available inasmuch as housing 76 may house the entire system.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A cooling system for cooling beverages during dis pensing thereof comprising at least two beverage containers, and at least two nozzle means, a tubing for conveying one of the beverages and having means connecting it to the container for said beverage, one of said nozzle means being connected to the tubing to dispense the bev-- erage therefrom, a conduit connected to said other con- 4 tainer and extending concentrically within the tubing and connected to the other nozzle means, an evaporator tube extending concentrically in said tubing, a plurality of disc-like plastic spacers each having an axial bore extending therethrough with said spacers being threaded on said evaporator tube in spaced relation, means on said evaporator tube on opposite sides of each of said spacers for maintaining said spacers in fixed relation on said tube, said spacers being effective to prevent contact between said conduit and said evaporator tube, an expansion valve in said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing and a drier coil connected to said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing, the beverage in the tubing flowing around the evaporator tube in heat transfer relation thereto and being cooled thereby and bathing the conduit to cool the other beverage.

2. A cooling system for cooling beverages during dispensing thereof comprising at least two beverage coutainers and at least two nozzle means, a tubing for conveying one of the beverages and having means connecting it to the container for said beverage, one of said nozzle means being connected to the tubing to dispense the beverage therefrom, conduit connected to said other container and extending concentrically within the tube and connected to the other nozzle means, an evaporator tube extending concentrically in said tubing, a plurality of disc-like plastic spacers each having an axial bore extending therethrough with said spacers being threaded on said evaporator tube in spaced relation, means on said evaporator tube on opposite sides of each of said spacers for maintaining said spacers in fixed relation on said tube, said spacers being effective to prevent contact between said conduit and said evaporator tube, an expansion valve in said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing, the

beverage in the tubing flowing around the evaporator tube in heat transfer relation thereto and being cooled thereby and bathing the conduit to cool the other beverage, a head on the tube carrying the nozzle means and a baflie means in said head circumposcd in spaced relation on the evaporator tube.

3. A cooling system for cooling beverages during dispensing thereof comprising at least two beverage containers, and at least two nozzle means, a tubing for conveying one of the beverages and having means connecting it to the container for said beverage, one of said nozzle means being connected to the tubing to dispense the beverage therefrom, a conduit connected to said other container and extending concentrically within the tubing and connected to the other nozzle means, an evaporator tube extending concentrically in said tubing, a plurality of disc-like plastic spacers each having an axial bore extending thcrethrough with said spacers being threaded on said evaporator tube in spaced relation, means on said evaporator tube on opposite sides of each of said spacers for maintaining said spacers in fixed relation on said tube, said spacers being effective to prevent contact between said conduit and said evaporator tube, and a drier coil connected to and in series with said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing, the beverage in the tubing flowing around the evaporator tube in heat transfer relation thereto and being cooled thereby and bathing the conduit to cool the other beverage, said containers being disposed below the nozzle means, and pressure means for forcing the beverages from the containers through the tubing and conduit.

4. A cooling system for cooling beverages during dispensing thereof comprising at least two beverage containers, and at least two nozzle means, a tubing for conveying one of the beverages and having means connecting it to the container for said beverage, one of said nozzle means being connected to the tubing to dispense the beverage therefrom a conduit connected to said other container and extending concentrically within the tubing and connected to the other nozzle means, an evaporator tube extending concentrically in said tubing, a plurality of disc-like plastic spacers each having an axial bore extending therethrough with said spacers being threaded on said evaporator tube in spaced relation, means on said evaporator tube on opposite sides of each of said spacers for maintaining said spacers in fixed relation on said tube, said spacers being effective to prevent contact between said conduit and said evaporator tube, an expansion valve in said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing and a drier coil connected to and in series with said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing, the beverage in the tubing flowing around the evaporator tube in heat transfer relation thereto and being cooled thereby and bathing the conduit to cool the other beverage, said container being disposed below the nozzle means, and pressure means for forcing the beverages from the container through the tubing and conduit, said evaporator tube having a refrigerant gas flowing therethrough in a counterfiow direction to the flow of the beverages.

5. A cooling system for cooling beverages during dis pensing thereof comprising at least two beverage containers, and at least two nozzle means, a tubing for conveying one of the beverages and having means connecting it to the container for said beverage, one of said nozzle means being connected to the tubing to dispense the beverage therefrom, a conduit connected to said other container and extending concentrically within the tubing and connected to the other nozzle means, an evaporator tube extending concentrically in said tubing, a plurality of disc-like plastic spacers each having an axial bore extending therethrough with said spacers being threaded on said evaporator tube in spaced relation, means on said evaporator tube on opposite sides of each of said spacers for maintaining said spacers in fixed relation on said tube, said spacers being efiective to prevent contact between said conduit and said evaporator tube, and a drier coil connected to and in series with said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing, the beverage in the tubing flowing around the evaporator tube in heat transfer relation thereto and being cooled thereby and bathing the conduit to cool the other beverage, said tubing being vertically disposed,

a head on the upper end of the tubing carrying the nozzle means and a frusto-conical bafile in said head and having a cylindrical extension on its minor end, said evaporator tube being disposed concentrically within the bafiie and extension.

6. A cooling system for cooling beverages during dispensing thereof comprising at least two beverage containers, and at least two nozzle means, a tubing for conveying one of the beverages and having means connecting it to the container for said beverage, one of said nozzle means being connected to the tubing to dispense the beverage therefrom, a conduit connected to said other container and extending concentrically within the tubing and connected to the other nozzle means, an evaporator tube extending concentrically in said tubing, a. plurality.

of disc-like plastic spacers each having an axial bore extending therethrough with said spacers being threaded on said evaporator tube in spaced relation, means on said evaporator tube on opposite sides of each of said spacers for maintaining said spacers in fixed relation on said tube, said spacers being effective to prevent contact between said conduit and said evaporator tube, and a drier coil connected to and in series with said evaporator tube exterior of the tubing, the beverage in the tubing flowing around the evaporator tube in heat transfer relation thereto and being cooled thereby and bathing the conduit to cool the other beverage, said tubing being vertically disposed, a head on the upper end of the tubing carrying the nozzle means and a frusto-conical bafile in said head and having a cylindrical extension on its minor end, said evaporator tube being disposed concentrically within the bafiie and extension, the lower end of said tubing being closed and having fluid tight openings to receive a connection from the one container and the conduit and to permit passage of the evaporator tube therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,728,207 Tunt Dec. 27, 1955 

